Richmond was strange, unfriendly and it looked like a maze when my family and I drove through the crazy traffic of move-in day. When I arrived my freshman year all I wanted was for my family to turn the car around and drive the three hours back to Winchester. My move-in day wasn’t like in the movies. I didn’t like being away from my family and I’ll admit that I cried like a baby the first night. I apologize to my roommate who had to fall asleep to the sound of my sniffles. But that was then. Now I like living in Richmond and I love going to VCU.
It didn’t happen overnight. I’m not the biggest fan of change so moving three hours away from home wasn’t as easy as I thought it was going to be. I had gotten tired of my home-town. Seeing the same faces everyday was boring and I considered myself a city girl. When I moved to Richmond, I didn’t know many people so adjusting to a new city was difficult. I went out to the majority of the events during welcome week so that I could become familiar with the programs on campus, organizations and try to meet new people. I hated my first year at VCU, but that has changed.
My first semester of my second year, I had a kitchen, which meant no Shafer; I had my own room, which meant no roommate troubles and most importantly, I had a positive attitude. One of the main reasons why I started loving Richmond and VCU is the fact that I returned with an open mind. Saying goodbye to my family is still difficult but I’ve familiarized myself with VCU and Richmond. I’m fortunate enough to go out with my boyfriend and family when they visit. We go to different restaurants, visit the James River and drive around which has allowed me to see more than just the campus.
Now I enjoy going out, I like being on campus and I even feel sad when leaving Richmond. VCU is a beautiful campus with a diverse student body. I’m proud to be a Ram because to me being a Ram means having an open mind, making your dreams real and embracing your background.
As a second semester sophomore I suggest giving every city, town and country you visit a chance because there’s beauty everywhere.